Not The Marrying Kind
by The Queen Of Winter
Summary: When forced to look for a husband, Elsa receives a visitor who helps her realise what she truly wants. Minor OCs and cameos. Elsanna. Incest. If you don't like it, don't read it!
1. The Good Girl

**Disclaimer: Nothing I write about belongs to me.**

'What?!'

'Marriage, Your Majesty.' The councillor nervously met the Queen's wild blue gaze. The room grew bitterly cold as the view from the windows was obscured by frost.

'Among your late father's papers we found a document in which he expressed his wish to see you happy and to have someone to protect you in the event of his absence, so we advise you to get married.

A-and it would be for the good of the kingdom, too. Many partners severed their trading connections with us after the, um, revelation, and the economy has suffered great losses. Not to mention the damage caused by the sudden winter...'

Elsa flinched. Ice crept along the surfaces of the furniture as guilt overcame her.

'But a royal wedding would be an occasion of great joy, Your Majesty. It would be the perfect opportunity for everyone to see that Arendelle is still...,' he tried to search for a better word, and in his rush to get the words out, he failed. 'Normal. To show those who fear you what a good, kind Queen you are...' He trailed off.

The air of the council chamber was heavy with cold. Elsa saw that the councillors' panicked eyes were wide as they all started looking for the nearest exit, their hurried breathing visible as mist. They knew what she was capable of. _She_ knew what she was capable of.

But they were only doing their duty. They were good men. They didn't know the reason why she was so opposed to marriage. No one did. And she had to conceal it.

Elsa trusted the councillors. They had run the kingdom successfully for the three years before she came of age. They obviously knew what they were doing. They were thinking only of the kingdom's best interests, and as Queen of Arendelle, Elsa knew that should be her only concern. Her unnatural feelings should not be allowed to interfere with the security of the realm.

Elsa composed herself. She had to obey, though it went against the very core of her being.

'I understand.' The atmosphere lifted slightly. The ice vanished, yet the chill remained. 'Make it known that henceforth, Queen Elsa of Arendelle will be receiving... suitors, with the endeavour of finding one suitable to be her... her husband.'

She said the words as if reading them from a script. A script of a play about someone else's life. They didn't feel real.

But they were. There was the proof, in the proclamation she now added her signature to with a shaking hand.

* * *

><p>Winter. The season when nature seemed to sleep. Those mornings, when the sun had just risen to reveal a frozen landscape, so still and silent. Elsa loved those times. Then her mind was at its clearest and her powers were easy to control.<p>

She entered the deserted courtyard. It was covered with a crisp coat of fresh snow, unbroken by the feet of the palace guards who normally used this space for training. They were nowhere to be seen this morning, however, and Elsa guessed that they would stay well away once they discovered she was there.

She had not left the castle in two days, having spent the entirety of yesterday locked in her room, trying to shut the world out again. It hadn't worked. Instead of mere frustration, she now felt rage. And there was only one way to cure it.

Elsa gave in to her power. She felt a heightened awareness of the environment around her and, using the already existing elements with ice of her own creation, she raised inanimate figures at the other end of the courtyard. They loomed up out of the icy mist of her magic, most of them taller than the walls surrounding the enclosure. She felt better. But there was still a lot on her mind. At least she could examine her thoughts a little more easily now.

Her parents had been lenient about the subject of marriage whenever it had been raised in conversation. Elsa had adamantly rejected the idea, and they had not pressed her. She never told them why, of course. Having a daughter with life-threatening magical powers was enough to disappoint them, but to know that said daughter also desired members of her own sex, would never be able to live even the semblance of a normal life happily...

Ice blasted out of her hands and struck the figures she aimed at. They crumbled against the wall.

...That would have distanced them from her even more.

That desire had been much easier to control than her powers, anyway. It had been no struggle to tear her eyes away from the curve of a young woman's waist, the way hair fell across the soft skin of a fair neck, no struggle to suppress the urge to feel how soft that skin was, how it tasted...

At least it had been before her coronation. Until then Elsa had hardly ever encountered a beautiful woman. She had never had to spend days alone with one. Never been so close to one that it made her heart ache from being unable to express her true feelings. Never had to suppress forbidden thoughts that came unbidden into her mind nearly every time they were together...

Elsa channelled her magic, reaching into the very substance of the remaining ice figures, and, drawing from all the fear and anger the last couple of days had produced, shattered them. Shards exploded around the courtyard, glinting in the morning sun. She relaxed, realising how tensely she had been scowling, and straightened her posture.

'Elsa?'

She looked up. Anna leaned out of a window. Evidently she had just got out of bed; she was in her nightgown and her hair was an absolute mess.

Elsa quickly dissolved the debris of her activities, making sure nothing went near her sister.

'What's wrong, Elsa?' Anna called again.

'Nothing. Did I wake you?'

'No. I'm coming down, wait there!'

Elsa sighed. She didn't want to involve Anna in her latest business, she would just complicate things. And everything was complicated enough already. She started walking back towards the nearest entrance to the castle when Anna hurtled through the door and ran out into her.

'Elsa, tell me what's wrong! I've never seen you so upset before!'

'No, Anna! Get indoors, you're not dressed!'

'Nope! I'm going to stand right here until you tell me what's bothering you!' she declared with an impish grin on her face and her bare feet planted firmly in the snow.

'Fine, you win! I'll tell you, _inside_!' She grabbed Anna's arm and pulled her out of the snow. 'Come on. How old are you again? Four?'

Elsa marched Anna back to her room, refusing to speak to her until she had changed out of her nightgown. She waited outside the door with her arms folded, annoyed that Anna knew how to exploit her older sister's concern for her safety.

'Elsa, you can come in now!' Anna opened the door. 'I rang for some tea, one of the servants should bring it soon. Sit down! And take that grumpy look off your face, today's a beautiful day, there's no reason to frown!'

'Yes there is, Anna,' Elsa said, sitting in one of the chairs by the window as their tea was brought in. 'I'll tell you in a minute.'

Once the servant had left and closed the door, Anna poured the tea for them and sat down in the chair opposite Elsa. She leaned her elbows on the small table between them and, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers, fixed Elsa with her most penetrating gaze.

Elsa caught her eye, then looked back down at her clasped hands. 'It was Father's wish that I should get married,' she said, deciding to get straight to the point.

'Really?' Anna sat up, she hadn't expected it to be that. 'To whom?'

'I don't know. Soon there will be princes and noblemen visiting the castle - the first is due to arrive today, in fact - and then after I have met them all, I'll have to make a decision.'

Anna sighed and sipped her tea. This was a pretty serious announcement.

'And you don't want to be married?'

'I can't think of anything I want to do less,' Elsa said, staring at her own tea. When she reached for it, it froze.

'But, Elsa, you're the Queen! If you don't want to get married, then just don't!'

'It's not that simple. I have to consider the future of the whole kingdom, Anna. Not just my own feelings.'

Anna slammed her empty cup down. 'No, Elsa! You should know better than most what happens when people are forced to do something that's not meant for them! I can't imagine you with a husband, no man is good enough for you!' She stood up and leaned across the table, meeting Elsa's eyes.

'I've hardly got to know you, Elsa, and I am not going to let some man come into our lives and take my sister away from me! You clearly don't want this either, and I'm not going to stand back and watch you sign away your life - the life we both fought for - in the name of your duty!' Her vision clouded with tears. She could not bare the thought of seeing her beloved sister, now so free and beautiful, be made to relinquish her control, and wither away from misery and compromise.

'It's not for us to decide, Anna,' Elsa said, rising. She walked to the door, her head down. Before she left, struggling to keep her voice from breaking, Elsa turned to Anna. 'Please don't make this more difficult for me than it already is.' Then she was gone.

Anna stood alone, her hands clenched around the edge of the table, watching her tears drip onto the wooden surface.

She had never thought about Elsa having a relationship with someone else before. It had never been an issue. But now that she did, the very idea of a man claiming Elsa for himself, of a man... touching her sister, made Anna feel sick, and angry, and a million other feelings that she didn't know the names of. And it was even worse knowing that Elsa didn't want it either.

Anna had made her decision. She was going to do everything in her power to stop Elsa from getting married. She would work secretly behind her sister's back and find a way to both observe their father's wishes, and ensure the future prosperity of Arendelle. Anna would do whatever it took to make Elsa happy and live her life as it was meant to be.

**Thanks for reading! Please tell me if you want me to post the rest!**


	2. Duty

The first suitor had arrived. The news of Elsa's proclamation had spread quickly and she was receiving new messages constantly. The feeling of excitement in the castle was almost tangible and it was hard for her to escape.

Elsa had been crying alone for most of the day after her discussion with Anna in the morning, but as she examined her face in the mirror, she could see that did not show.

She wore her most demure outfit, a high-necked, long-sleeved gown that trailed along the floor. It was completely different to her favourite dress, the one that she had made using her magic. She thought the suitors were probably expecting to see her in that dress, having heard about it from her subjects. However, Elsa did not want to draw men's gazes any more than was entirely necessary. She had scraped her hair back into the traditional hairstyle for the royal women of Arendelle; Elsa knew it looked equally beautiful on her as any other hairstyle but she preferred wearing her hair a little looser these days.

Looking at herself now, Elsa thought she seemed almost exactly the same as the day of her coronation. She even had her crown on again; Olaf had given it to her, refusing to say where he had found it.

The only difference was that she wasn't wearing her gloves. She had contemplated putting them on, but it wasn't her magic that she needed to hide now...

Elsa decided she was as ready as she'd ever be and went down to meet her suitor. His name was Prince Ahti and he was from one of the kingdoms in the North, a kingdom that neighboured Arendelle. It was not a rich country, it consisted mainly of tundra and was landlocked; Ahti and his entourage had travelled a whole day across the land to reach the castle. Being first in line to his throne, he was clearly seeking to expand the borders of his future kingdom by uniting the two countries. Apparently, Ahti's father had suggested to the king of Arendelle that they arrange the match when their children were young, but he had refused.

She approached the room that had been agreed upon by her advisers, and was relieved to see that the guards were already stationed outside the door. She had no idea what to expect from this whole business, and she wanted to be prepared for anything. They opened the door for her and she went in.

The room was a small wood-panelled chamber that contained a large latticed window, in front of which stood a mahogany table and two chairs. Ahti rose from his seat and bowed when she entered.

'It is an honour to finally meet you, Queen Elsa,' he said.

'Thank you,' she replied. She sat down and examined his appearance.

He was dressed for the outdoors, despite having had plenty of time to prepare himself since his arrival in the city. Under his grey, hooded cape he was wearing a light blue tunic embroidered in the traditional style of his country, along with thick trousers and fur boots. He had long blond hair that fell well past his shoulders and on his forehead he wore a simple circlet of unadorned metal.

'Did you have a pleasant journey?'

'I did, Your Majesty. The land of Arendelle is very beautiful. Now, I'm going to be bold, Queen Elsa. Will you allow me to take you out in my sleigh so you can show me the city? I would like to see the city on this fine day while the sun is still above the horizon.'

She agreed and together they walked out to the stables, where a sleigh harnessed with two reindeer was waiting for them. Attending to the reindeer was a young man dressed in furs. Elsa looked closer and saw that it wasn't a man at all, it was a young woman with short hair. She smiled and bowed when she saw the Queen looking at her. Elsa was intrigued, she had never seen such clothes or such a hairstyle on a woman before, and the fact that her face was covered in freckles made Elsa all the more drawn to her. She opened her mouth to say something to the girl, but Ahti interrupted her train of thought.

'Your Majesty?' He held out a gloved hand.

She turned and took his hand to climb into the sleigh, glad that his hands were covered; she didn't want to risk any magical accidents.

They rode in silence through the castle grounds and across the causeway, the citizens of Arendelle taking note of the Queen and her suitor.

'Have you ever ridden in a sleigh pulled by reindeer before, Your Majesty?' Ahti asked.

'I haven't, but my sister has.'

'Princess Anna?'

'Yes. She's younger than me but she has done so many brave and interesting things!' Elsa thought only of Anna during the next few minutes of silence. She missed her. She regretted the argument they'd had earlier that day. And Anna had been right, the whole situation was wrong. She shouldn't be out here with a man. Right now, Elsa wanted Anna's company, or no one's at all.

'Prince Ahti, will you please return me to my castle now?'

'As you wish. Are you quite well, Your Majesty?' he said, turning the sleigh around.

'I am fine, thank you, but I want to return to my chambers. I assure you it's nothing of your doing.'

The silence descended over them again as they entered the city. Elsa felt the need to break it, realising she hadn't been playing her role very well.

'I hope you have enjoyed what you've seen of the city so far.'

'I have, but I confess, I was hoping to learn more about you, Your Majesty.'

'There will be enough time for us to meet again before I make a decision,' Elsa said, remembering the reality of her situation. It was only the first day and she was already getting the urge to run away from it all. Well, she could afford to retreat for now, but when more of the suitors had arrived she would be forced to face them.

The sleigh came to a halt back at the stables. Ahti turned to her. 'Thank you for your time, Queen Elsa.'

She smiled stiffly. 'I trust you will find the accommodation here in Arendelle to your liking. Goodbye, Prince Ahti!' Then she jumped down from the sleigh and was soon back within the confines of the castle.

Elsa rushed straight to her bedroom, locked the door, lit the lamps and drew the curtains. It may have been early evening but she wanted complete solitude.

Now she was alone, Elsa released her hold on the magic within, glad that she had been able to control it for so long. It manifested itself as a flurry of snow around her.

She sat down at her dressing table, pausing to wipe the frost from the mirror with her sleeve, then started to let down her hair.

Elsa relaxed and the snow subsided. She combed her fingers slowly through her hair, feeling its softness.

'Your Majesty?' There was a knock at the door, jolting her out of her reverie.

She opened the door a few inches and glared at the servant who had interrupted her.

He bowed. 'We have received news that more suitors are on their way and are due to arrive in Arendelle tomorrow.'

'I understand. Make preparations for their arrival. And ensure that I am not disturbed again until the morning.'

Elsa locked the door again, and began to pace the floor. The snow returned.

Of course, she had known there would be more suitors. But the whole situation still seemed so strange to her. She did not understand how anyone could choose to bind themselves for life to a stranger. Her case was different, she was forced to marry for the security of her realm and to respect her father's wishes, but these men didn't even know Elsa and yet they travelled so far to meet her and were willing to spend their entire lives with her.

Elsa tried to see it from their point of view. Her kingdom was valuable, and maybe for them it did not matter who she was as a person, they just wanted Elsa and her kingdom as a trophy, a prize.

She sat in front of the mirror again and unlaced the back of her gown. She pulled it down over her shoulders and looked at her reflection. Elsa was well aware of her own beauty, but Anna was right, no man deserved her. Especially not if she was to be regarded as a mere possession.

She did not like the idea of being lusted after by men, the thought repulsed her. Elsa was not looking forward to the next day.

* * *

><p>And all too soon it was upon her.<p>

Elsa was seated in a throne in the town square, overlooking a small temporary arena. Within its boundaries, three men were fighting each other. Their armour and their blunted weapons glinted in the winter sun.

They were all from the Western Isles, the three of them having braved the winter seas to reach Arendelle, and they had spoken to her that morning after their arrival. Their proposal was that, since their lands were similarly wealthy, and quite close to each other, they would fight in their own three-person tournament, the winner earning the right to ask for Elsa's hand, although ultimately she would be the one to make the final decision.

They were not fighting to the death, they were good friends and two of them were cousins, so Elsa supposed it was just masculine bravado in order to try and impress her. Even so, they were clearly taking the fight seriously. One of the men received a hard strike to the face with the pommel of a sword. He staggered but did not fall. While his opponents parried blows between themselves, he pulled off his dented helmet and spat out blood. That was Thormundur, from Iceland. He was a tall, muscular man with a large red beard. Elsa imagined what his embrace would feel like and felt slightly sick.

The crowd that had gathered to watch this event had attracted the attention of Olaf, who was passing by with Anna and Kristoff. He had dragged them over to watch, just as Thormundur's blood was spilled.

'Woah, that would've taken my head off! What are these guys fighting about?'

Kristoff and Anna exchanged a glance. They had not told Olaf about Elsa's search for a husband, knowing that he would probably try to interfere.

'You know what? Let's go and find Sven. I bet he's in the mood to go for a walk with us on a nice cold day like today,' Kristoff suggested. 'Coming, Anna?'

'No, I'll stay here. But you two have fun!' After they left, Anna moved further into the crowd until she was leaning against the wooden railings. Even if it was being held for the wrong reasons, a mêlée was always fun to watch.

The first man was down and now it was one-on-one. Thormundur locked blades with his opponent. They pushed against each other before Thormundur managed to boot the other man in the stomach and wrenched off his helmet, revealing him to be Bjørn of the Faroe Islands, a younger man with black hair, piercing grey eyes and a strong jaw. A chorus of female squeals echoed around the square.

Elsa didn't see what the fuss was about. Despite trying as hard as she could, Elsa did not find the men she had encountered in any way attractive. The very idea of being intimate with a man disgusted her, as it always had. This was problematic because she would have to hurry and give everyone an answer soon. Christmas was only a couple of weeks away and her councillors wanted her to be married on Twelfth Night, to end the season with great festivities.

The fight was over. Bjørn was down and Thormundur stood triumphant to the cheering of the crowd. He bowed to Elsa, who inclined her head in acknowledgement of his victory.

The Western Islanders went to attend to their injuries, and the guards of Arendelle made preparations to return the town square to normal. As the crowd dispersed, Elsa spotted Anna making her way over towards her. Part of her thought about running away. As she had done yesterday, Anna would just tell the truth about the situation, making it even more unbearable. But Elsa couldn't run; Anna loved her and her intentions were benevolent. Anna had no idea of the tumult of feelings she caused in her sister. Besides, Elsa missed Anna. She had spent over ten years shutting her out, and that wasn't something she wanted to continue. She stood up from her throne as Anna approached.

'Hi,' Anna said, toying with her mittens.

'Hi. You look tired,' Elsa commented, noticing the dark circles under Anna's eyes.

'Yeah, I was up late last night doing research.'

'Oh?'

'I read a book about a princess in Scotland. Her parents held a tournament for her hand in marriage, but the princess competed in it herself and won, so she didn't have to get married! Maybe you could...'

'It's a good idea, Anna, but it's too late for me to do anything like that now. I appreciate your concern for me but...'

'Well, if you're serious about this marriage thing then let me help you! You don't have to do this alone! And anyway, I know more about all of this relationship stuff than you. Not _all_ men are that bad, you know,' Anna said, lying to try and make things easier for Elsa.

'Anna, you've only ever known two men.'

'That's two more than you!'

'True.' Elsa smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. 'Why do you want to help me all of a sudden, have you changed your mind about this whole matter?'

'No! I just don't believe it's ever going to happen. I _know_ you're not going to get married.' Anna reached up and put her hands on Elsa's shoulders. 'It's not your destiny, Elsa, I'm sure of it!' Her eyes shone with the passion of her belief. Elsa wished she was right.

'Excuse me, Your Majesty?' A messenger began walking towards them. Elsa pulled away from Anna's hands.

'Yes, what is is?' she asked him.

'Sorry to disturb you, Queen Elsa, but I bring word from a foreign visitor. He requests to see you as soon as possible, he says it's urgent, Your Majesty.'

'I see. Tell him I will await his presence in the Great Hall.'

The messenger bowed and hurried off. Elsa turned back to Anna. 'I'd better go,' she said.

'I'll come and find you later!' Anna called, and waved after her as she walked away.

* * *

><p>Elsa made her way to the Great Hall, and ensured there were plenty of guards close by, for safety's sake, even though she was perfectly capable of defending herself from any would-be attacker.<p>

She sat on her throne and waited a short while before the door opened and the stranger walked in.

He was a huge man with an enormous grey beard and he was clad in a large red coat. Despite his age, he had a commanding presence and he strode towards her, smiling, with his arms outstretched.

'Боже мой! My God! You are so fair, so beautiful! And such a nice girl, always so good!' the man exclaimed. Elsa didn't know what to make of him.

'What is your business here?' she asked. Surely this man wasn't intending to ask for her hand. He looked old enough to be her grandfather.

'Call me Nikolai.' He bowed low, removing his fur hat. 'I have travelled very long way to visit you. I might say I have come from another world, but maybe you would not believe me.'

From his accent, Elsa identified Nikolai as an easterner. It was a strong accent, but she could easily understand him.

'I have friend, and he is like you, with powers over ice and cold. Many people have heard about you and they think you would be good match for him. Here.'

From the vast depths of his coat Nikolai produced a painting, which he gave to her. It was of a young man. She guessed he was barely past fifteen, despite his grey hair. His face was twisted into an arrogant smirk, and his clothing was strange. Just another man. As usual, Elsa felt nothing.

She handed it back, her face impassive. 'My answer is no. Just because we both have abilities does not mean that we would make a good couple. It is impossible.' Elsa had heard of other magic users, but she had no interest in meeting them, let alone marrying one.

'I know, Your Majesty, I have same thought!', he grinned. 'Maybe now you have said it yourself the people will listen and stop this foolish idea.

And you could never even meet anyway because the dimensions are separate! What is more, my friend is silly, like little boy. Not suitable for a Queen. He would not like it at all!' His hearty, booming laughter echoed around the hall.

Elsa frowned and was about to ask the man why he had wasted her time when he abruptly ceased laughing and his face grew serious.

'But I was just testing you. That is not the real reason I came to see you,' he said.

'Yes?'

'I should not be here. Normally our worlds are separate but this is a matter of True Love! I can see you are desperate to be a good Queen and do normal things to make your kingdom happy, and I have to stop you.' He paused for a moment, locking eyes with her.

'I know your secret, Your Majesty. You cannot love a man.'

Elsa stiffened, her hands tightened on the arms of her throne. Nikolai's blue eyes bore into hers, but she could not see the malice in them that she feared.

'Listen,' he continued. 'Marriage is not for you. Do not pursue it. You already have a True Love, you know it well. If you force yourself to be with anyone else, it can only end in pain. It would destroy you, and all those around you.'

Elsa remembered the last time she had lost control of her powers. She had essentially _killed_ Anna. Elsa knew in the back of her mind that making herself marry would push her close to that point again. She had to be free. She had to live without fear. She could not marry.

'Do not do it, Elsa. Promise me.'

'I promise,' she whispered. It didn't occur to her to wonder how this man knew so much about her life. The fact was, he knew her and he spoke the truth.

'I know you did not have much of a childhood. You have seen much fear, but you do not need to be afraid that your True Love is not returned. Because your love is innocent, pure and true, you will get your heart's desire!'

He smiled again, then put his hat back on.

'And now, I go! Those from my world can now never enter this one again, and the way through is closing, I must hurry! Farewell!' He bowed once more. 'And remember my words!' His long coat billowed as he turned and left the hall.

Elsa remained seated on her throne. Had that really happened? She wasn't entirely sure. The only thing she was sure about was that she was no longer considering marriage. Nikolai's words had finally made Elsa see what damage that would cause. The visit had only been short and yet he had said so much... He had even said that she would get her heart's desire.

Her heart's desire? Not her innermost secret, which she refused to admit, even to herself. The craving that invaded her dreams and woke her, with her heart pounding, in the darkest hours of the night... Surely _that_ wasn't pure...

But it _was_ True Love. That couldn't be denied...

Elsa dismissed the thought and tried to carry on with the rest of the day. She went to the library, determined to find a legitimate excuse she could give to her subjects and suitors for refusing to get married.

* * *

><p>Yet again, Anna found herself in a crowd. First she was only mildly interested in what they were doing, but then she spotted Kristoff's blond head somewhere near the front. She elbowed her way through until she reached him.<p>

The crowd had formed a circle around an incredibly large sleigh. Harnessed to the front of it were six huge reindeer. At least Anna thought they were reindeer. They had antlers, but were built more like horses; not at all like Sven.

'Kristoff, what are you doing? Where's Olaf?' she asked.

'Oh. I don't know. Probably with Sven. Have you seen this thing? Some old guy showed up in it a few minutes ago.'

Anna regarded it for a while. 'It's not bad. I think the one Elsa got for you is better though.'

'Hey, when you see Elsa, tell her to marry this guy. I _need_ this sleigh in my life!'

'What? Elsa can't marry an old man!'

'_I'll_ marry him, then. Anything for a ride in that sleigh..!'

'Well now's your chance to ask him. It looks like he's leaving,' Anna said, shoving Kristoff forwards. He tripped and fell on his face, but managed to crawl away before the sleigh's owner could tread on him.

'Out of way, please! Always the same: everyone loves the sleigh!'

* * *

><p>Anna prowled through the dark castle, candle in one hand, a piece of paper in the other. She stopped outside the door to Elsa's study and, trying not to crumple the document she was carrying, opened it. Inside she found what she had been seeking.<p>

Elsa lay with her face upon the desk, fast asleep, surrounded by open books. The sun had been down for a few hours and her own candle had long burned out.

Anna put her candle down on the desk in front of her sister, watching her face flinch at the sudden change in light. Anna touched her softly on her arm.

'Hey, Elsa, what are you doing here?'

Elsa sat up and looked at Anna. 'What? Oh, I was just looking for something,' she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Anna pulled up a chair and sat next to Elsa.

'Well, I have something to show you. I broke into the councillors' chambers to get it. Here,' she placed the document she had been holding on the desk, 'is the cause of all your misery.'

Elsa examined what appeared to be some sort of rough draft for a letter or a diary entry, she couldn't tell. She scanned her father's narrow handwriting. Anna pointed to the final lines, which Elsa read.

_"And as for Elsa, I wish only for her to be as happy as she can possibly be, and that she will not have to suffer the burden of her powers alone if I am not there to protect her."_

'That's all he said! The councillors twisted it to make it seem like he wanted you to find a husband! You ought to punish them for pressuring you like that, you know. Encase them in ice for a week or something.'

'I'm not going to punish them with magic, Anna. They were just doing their jobs. They want to live in a normal kingdom. They want me to be a normal Queen.'

'They actually said that?' Anna asked in raised tones.

'Well, not in so many words, but that's certainly what they meant. You can't blame them, Anna. Things would be a lot easier if I was normal.'

Anna took Elsa's hands in her own and held them, despite their coldness.

'Elsa, don't ever wish to be normal! You're the most beautiful, amazing, best-ever person in the world! You're you, and I love you.' She squeezed Elsa's hands. 'Promise me you won't get married, Elsa! Please!'

Elsa blushed. For the second time that day, she promised.

Anna's face lit up. 'You can still observe Father's wishes this way, Elsa! You'll never be alone now, you know,' she continued. 'You've got me! And I've just had a brilliant idea!'

Elsa watched as Anna searched the desk until she found a fresh roll of parchment, ink and a quill. Then Anna began to write, taking care to form the words as neatly as possible.

_"It is announced that suitors intending to ask for the Royal Hand in marriage will no longer be accepted in Arendelle. Queen Elsa of Arendelle will be the sole ruler of her realm, as long as it is hers to rule_."

'How's that?'

'It's good!'

Anna continued writing.

_"In addition, Her Majesty wishes to make it known that Her Royal Highness Princess Anna of Arendelle is hereby appointed as the Royal Protector"_

'Anna, what?'

'It's totally a thing. Now, don't interrupt!'

_"to ensure the Queen's felicity, in accordance with the former King's wishes. Any attempt to separate the Royal Sisters will be met with severe punishment_."

Anna added her signature the document and handed it to Elsa, who also signed it.

'There, it's official! Do you feel any happier now?' Anna asked.

'I do. I really do,' Elsa assured her. 'But there's still the matter of the economy to consider. You can't deny it's in a bad state thanks to what happened when I froze the kingdom. And now that I've ruled out getting married I'll have to think of another way to repair that damage.'

'Don't worry, I'm one step ahead of you! I was thinking that we could do something to attract more tourism to Arendelle. Then I thought: not everyone likes to be warm in summer, so maybe you could make some sort of ice hotel with your magic, and it would be magnificent and wonderful, and people would come from all over just to see it, and stay in it! But that was only an idea. Of course, if you think it's stupid, or you can't do it, then I understand. We'll think of something!' She took Elsa's hand again. 'There's always a way!'

'Thank you, Anna,' Elsa said, with heartfelt gratitude. 'I don't know what I'd do without you.'

Anna left her seat and went to sit on Elsa's lap. She wrapped her arms around her, feeling Elsa relax as she snuggled against her.

This was what Anna had wanted. There was no danger of anyone separating them. Yet Anna realised that she had never paused to consider _why_ the idea of Elsa being with somebody else made her so angry and upset. She thought about it now and felt her heartbeat quicken. Elsa encircled Anna's waist with her arms and Anna let the thought go. Whatever it was could wait. Right now, everything was perfect. Elsa was hers.


	3. A Family Affair

After weeks of anticipation, Christmas had finally come to Arendelle. The kingdom was deep in snow - occurring naturally, this time - but the cold weather outside only increased the warmth and cheer inside people's hearts and homes.

The castle had not had such an atmosphere in over a decade. There were decorations everywhere; Anna and Olaf had personally attended to that matter. The halls were decked with greenery, and every room contained a reminder of the festivities. Everywhere there was colour and light, in the form of lanterns, ribbons, garlands and wreaths.

But the most important and spectacular feature was the tree. It was huge. Kristoff had chopped it down himself yesterday afternoon, and it had been set up in the library. By the glowing light from the fireplace, the four of them had spent the evening decorating its multitude of branches with ornaments from the sisters' childhood, some of which they had not seen since they were very young.

They had convinced Elsa to add the finishing touches to the tree using her powers, and she had crafted dozens of crystalline baubles, along with the crowning glory of the tree: its ornate, many-faceted star. These magical creations glittered in the firelight and made the Christmas tree the best one any of them had ever seen.

Even so, Elsa had mixed feelings about the whole season. For the past thirteen years, Christmas had been a subdued affair that could never be compared to the extravagant occasion it had been when she and Anna were very young. Back then, before the accident, the King and Queen had lavished their daughters with gifts and treats, and the four of them had been inseparable throughout the main days of the holiday period.

Of course, everything had changed afterwards. Decorations were minimal. The King and Queen spent half of the day with Anna, and the other with Elsa, ensuring that the two would never meet. The gifts had changed. Anna received more toys and storybooks, no doubt intended to distract her from the absence of a real playmate, and Elsa was given items that would not excite her: clothing, ornaments, books. The first few years had been full of questions as the girls struggled to cope with the loss of the familiar routine that was so dear to them. However, this soon gave way to silent acceptance. But still there was always a slightly uneasy feeling created by tiptoeing around the main issue, and the longing for the way things used to be.

And after their parents had died there was nothing. The winters were darker and colder than they had ever been.

Elsa knew Anna would try to make up for all of that this year, as would she, but there was an unspoken sadness about it all.

But despite this, Elsa was determined to make sure Anna was happy. She would do whatever Anna wanted, and hoped that this would in some way compensate for all their time apart.

* * *

><p>Elsa woke late, after a dreamless sleep. She had spent the whole night perfecting Anna's gifts, and by the time she had risen it was already the afternoon.<p>

After hurriedly slipping on her sparkling blue dress and fixing her hair, Elsa grabbed her presents and rushed to the library. Anna would be waiting. Elsa hoped she hadn't left it too late and disappointed her. But Anna had not come to wake her so it was probably fine.

Elsa pushed open the door to the library and went in, bringing a rush of cold air with her in her worried state. But the temperature quickly returned to its previous warmth when she saw everyone gathered there.

The light had a cosy, orange quality to it from the combination of the firelight and the setting sun shining in through the window. Anna was kneeling by the tree, evidently still adding to its already impressive collection of ornaments. Elsa also noticed there were additional decorations now hanging from the ceiling, although she paid them little heed. Olaf was next to Anna and he appeared to be squeezing the presents under the tree and trying to guess what they were, muttering to himself. Kristoff got up from the couch, on which he had been sprawling in a way most unbecoming for Arendelle's Official Ice Master and Deliverer, when the Queen entered the room.

Anna was glad to see Elsa, as usual. She had hoped to have seen her a little earlier, but Anna had not worried where her sister was, since they had agreed to meet before the evening.

Everyone wished each other a Merry Christmas before Elsa cautiously placed the gifts she was carrying under the tree with the rest of them. Then she went to sit in the window seat.

Kristoff furtively tried to remove two rather large empty glasses from view, although not well enough to escape Elsa's attention. But she decided to turn a blind eye to it, it was Christmas, after all. Although any other time she would have had words with him about trying to corrupt her little sister with alcohol.

Elsa watched happily as Anna finished with whatever she was doing, then dashed over to Elsa and grabbed her hands, pulling her to her feet.

'It's so exciting!' Anna exclaimed, her joy-filled eyes meeting Elsa's before she raised them upwards.

'Oh, look!' Anna pointed above them to a bunch of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling of the small alcove. 'Now we have to kiss!'

Elsa was about to point out that she didn't think the tradition counted for two women, or two sisters, much to her disappointment. But before she could say anything, Anna's mouth was on hers, warm, wet and tasting of gløgg. It felt like they stood there forever, Elsa's lips melting into Anna's, before Anna pulled away at the sound of Olaf's voice.

'Aw! After an act of True Love: a True Love's kiss! It took you two long enough!'

'Sorry, I...,' Anna began, her cheeks reddening, realising what she'd done. She laughed nervously and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at Elsa's shoes. Anna hadn't planned it, it just sort of happened. She blamed the alcohol; it was only the second time she had tried the stuff.

'You don't have to... It was...' Elsa couldn't find the words for what she wanted to express. She smiled at Anna's shyness and took her hand again.

Anna looked into her eyes once more and it was if her sister was the only person in the room, in the whole world. Elsa wanted to kiss her again but knew she couldn't. If she gave in now, she wouldn't be able to stop.

Kristoff watched all this happen and narrowed his eyes. Anna hadn't tried to kiss _him_ under any mistletoe. In fact, since the kiss they had shared back in the summer he had not made any romantic progress with Anna at all. Of course, Kristoff had no intention of pressuring her; he was a good guy. He knew she was probably still recovering from her experience with Hans. And she was incredibly naive, due to being raised inside the castle until she was basically an adult. Anna needed someone to look out for her, and Kristoff wanted to be that someone. If it meant that he would never be anything more than a friend to her, then he would cope with it.

Kristoff was sad that whatever he and Anna had was not True Love, like what she shared with Elsa, but that wouldn't stop him from helping the sisters make up for all the time they had lost.

Even so... He didn't know much about human families, but wasn't this a bit... inappropriate? He'd make a point of asking the trolls about it later.

Elsa could see the suspicious look Kristoff was giving them out of the corner of her eye. If she had learned anything about Kristoff during the short time she had known him, it was that he was smarter than he looked. She stepped away from her sister and tried to compose herself. She had let too many of her feelings show. Hopefully Kristoff would not guess the truth.

But luckily for her, just then everyone was suddenly distracted by a loud noise from outside. They all rushed to the window to see what it was.

'It's Sven!' shouted Olaf. He opened the window and leaned out. 'Hey, Sven! Up here!' he called down and waved.

The reindeer was sitting in the middle of the courtyard. He looked up at the window and bellowed loudly and sadly.

'But we already gave him his presents so why is he sad?' Olaf asked.

'He's just lonely, I expect,' said Kristoff. 'Hang on, buddy! I'll be down in a minute!' he shouted.

'Can't Sven come in here with us instead of sitting out there in the snow?' Olaf wondered.

'Sorry, Olaf. No reindeer inside the castle,' Elsa replied.

'Don't worry about it, I'll be back later,' Kristoff said to the others, and made his way to the door.

'Wait up, Kristoff!' Olaf caught up with him as he left, not wanting to miss an opportunity to see his reindeer friend.

The door closed behind them and Elsa and Anna were left alone.

Anna walked over to the couch and sat down heavily. Elsa lingered by the window. 'I hope Kristoff still doesn't mind that the castle's open door policy does not extend to animals. Even at Christmas,' she said, not wanting to offend their only human friend, but at the same time glad that both he and Olaf had gone.

'Oh, don't worry about him,' Anna said, patting the seat next to her on the couch. 'He never really had a family, apart from Sven, and the trolls, so he's not used to all this,' she continued as Elsa came to sit next to her. 'But he'll come back for dinner, then go and celebrate with the trolls later tonight. He asked me to go with him but I said no.'

'Maybe you should have gone,' Elsa said, looking at her hands clasped in her lap. 'Aren't you both...?'

'What? No! We're just friends. And I want to stay with you! Are you trying to get rid of me or something?'

'No, no! Of course not!' Elsa assured her, panicking slightly because she didn't want to upset Anna. 'In fact, I prefer it like this. I want you all to myself.' She realised that sounded kind of wrong and decided to stay quiet.

The sentiment in her words didn't seem to register with Anna, who proceeded to recline on the couch and rest her head in Elsa's lap, smiling with her eyes closed.

Elsa blushed, and was glad Anna wasn't looking. She gently smoothed Anna's hair away from her forehead and then stroked her braids.

'You know, I was so afraid that it wouldn't be like this. That you wouldn't be here,' Anna said, enjoying the cool touch of Elsa's hands.

Elsa knew Anna was still thinking of when she had been accepting suitors. Luckily that whole business was over now. Nobody had taken offence at her sudden change of heart, and everyone respected her decision as Queen to remain single.

'Well you don't have to worry now. Nothing is going to stop me from spending time with you,' Elsa said.

'Can it be like this more often? Just you and me? Like, every day, once you've finished being the Queen of Arendelle?'

Elsa laughed. 'Being the Queen isn't something I can just switch off. But yes. We can be together every day if that makes you happy.'

Anna opened her eyes and looked up into Elsa's. 'It does,' she said. 'I haven't been this happy since before... all that... stuff happened.'

'That was a long time ago, Anna. More than half a lifetime. Everything has changed so much.'

'I think they shouldn't have done it,' Anna blurted out, suddenly grabbing Elsa's hands and holding them. 'Mother and Father, that is. They shouldn't have locked you away, locked _us_ away.'

'It wasn't all them. I wanted to hide myself. Anyway, they were scared.'

'Scared of _you_! Their own daughter! No parent should treat a child like that!'

'Yes, they made mistakes, I know,' Elsa said, after a brief pause. 'But if they had done things differently then we wouldn't be here now, would we?' _And I probably wouldn't feel the way I do about you_, she neglected to add.

Anna looked up at Elsa's beautiful face, and could see traces of the years of pain and isolation in her eyes.

'Elsa, are you happy?'

'As long as I have you, I'm happy,' Elsa smiled, squeezing Anna's hands.

Anna smiled back. Elsa was right, their parents' actions had led them here. She guessed they wouldn't have been so close, and their relationship wouldn't have had the intensity that it did if they had been raised differently. Anna didn't want to imagine what might have been so she concentrated on the present; the feeling of Elsa's hands in hers, and the rhythm of Elsa's breathing that she could feel in the side of her face against her sister's stomach.

The firelight glowed even stronger now that the sun had finally set and darkness had fallen. Anna could have easily gone to sleep if there hadn't been a knock at the door.

There wasn't time for Elsa to push Anna off her, so she was relieved when Kai entered the room. She hoped he wouldn't find anything suspicious about their position, since he had known the sisters for most of their lives.

He smiled warmly as they sat up and looked at him. 'Merry Christmas, Your Majesty, Your Highness! Your dinner is served, if you are both quite ready.'

'Thanks, Kai!' Anna said. 'Oh, and can you get Kristoff? He's outside somewhere. And make him wash his hands!'

Kai bowed and left the room.

Elsa and Anna got ready to walk down to the dining hall, looking forward to their first proper Christmas meal in years.

'What are we eating, anyway?' Elsa asked as they walked through the decorated corridors. 'I don't remember organising that.'

'Soup, roast and ice cream, of course!' Anna announced, linking Elsa's arm as they strolled along together.

The dining hall looked more cheerful than it ever had, even when Elsa and Anna were little. The large round table was illuminated by candles, and all the old decorations from the past had been arranged upon it. But the centrepiece was one of Elsa's magical creations, as commissioned by Anna. It was a miniature version of her ice palace, small enough to see over, but still large enough to look show off its impressive beauty.

Kristoff was already seated at the table when they entered the room. He waved to them as they took their seats.

'Where's Olaf?' Anna asked.

'Still outside with Sven,' Kristoff answered. 'Well, he can't exactly eat with us, can he?'

He was right, of course. But Olaf always acted so much like a human that Anna sometimes forgot that he was an enchanted snowman.

Gerda and Kai, the most faithful and kindliest servants in the castle were in charge of serving the food. They didn't mind spending their evening making sure the Queen and the Princess had a perfect Christmas.

One thing that had not changed at all throughout the years was the excellent quality of the food. And tonight it was as delicious as ever.

'You know,' Kristoff said to Elsa as they all began eating the main course, 'a few weeks ago, we thought we'd be doing this with your husband. Anna was so worried! She wouldn't shut up about it. It's a good thing you decided to give up the whole idea. It just isn't you.'

Elsa wasn't prepared for this sort of speech from Kristoff. 'Well, fortunately a certain "love expert" wouldn't give up until she made me see sense.' She smiled playfully at Anna, who grinned in return, feeling proud of herself.

'Who, Anna?' Kristoff continued; the red wine they were all drinking was clearly making him more talkative than usual. 'She's no love expert, the trolls taught her everything she knows!'

While Kristoff and Anna chatted animatedly to each other, Elsa started thinking about the other person who had changed her mind about that matter. That strange foreigner had known too much. She had tried to trace him, but her efforts, and the efforts of those she had employed, had been in vain.

He had said Elsa would get her heart's desire, and as far as she could tell, that hadn't happened yet. She still wasn't entirely sure what it would be. Maybe it would be one of her Christmas presents. She had no idea. She still doubted that the entire encounter was even real.

Elsa spent the rest of the meal lost in her own thoughts, until it was time for the main event of the evening.

'Presents!' Anna shouted, and pulled the other two to their feet, dragging them back to the library.

Then they all sat on the floor in front of the tree and dealt out the gifts.

Elsa insisted Anna open hers first. She chose one and started unwrapping the blue paper to reveal one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. It was an exquisitely-formed box that appeared to be made of ice, except it wasn't cold. Anna's mouth dropped open in wonder and she set the box down on her lap and lifted the lid. Inside there was a necklace. It wasn't just any necklace, though. Anna took it out and examined it, handling it carefully because it looked so delicate. It seemed to be made of the same substance as the box, although the snowflake designs on the almost transparent chain contained colours, all sort of colours.

'Elsa, it's amazing!' Anna started to put it round her neck, but Elsa took it from her and fastened it from behind.

'That's not all!' She smiled as Anna reached into the box again and took out a bracelet and a ring. Each had the same design as the necklace. Anna put them on and turned her wonder-filled eyes to Elsa.

'You made these?' Anna asked.

Elsa nodded. 'Every one!' she said, with just a hint of pride in her voice.

'Wow, Elsa! You really are the best!' Anna said, examining her jewellery.

Kristoff felt like he was intruding. He knew his present to Anna couldn't compete with Elsa's, and the sisters seemed to have almost forgotten that he was there.

Anna moved on to her second present, a large, soft package that she squished before unwrapping. It turned out to be a pastel-green knitted woollen scarf. It was very thick and looked as if it went on forever as Anna extracted it from the wrapping paper.

'Did you make this, as well?' Anna asked Elsa.

'Yes,' she replied. 'I am capable of making normal things, too!'

'Thank you, Elsa. I love them! Now there's only one more left.' She picked up her final present and took off the wrapping paper, revealing it to be a hand-crafted wooden comb, carved into the shape of a reindeer.

'I know it's not much,' said Kristoff. 'And everything looks bad compared with Elsa's gifts to you.'

'No, Kristoff, it's wonderful! And I needed a new one, anyway! Thank you!' Anna patted him gently on the shoulder. 'Elsa, you open yours now!'

Elsa started with a box that she knew had come from the most expensive chocolaterie in Arendelle. She untied the ribbon, removed the lid and was greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of chocolate.

'Let's just say a little bird told me they're your favourites,' Kristoff said, sharing a glance with Anna, who was grinning widely.

The chocolates were in fact _Anna's_ favourite types, although chocolate was chocolate so of course Elsa liked them. No doubt Anna was hoping Elsa would give them to her later. Well, she'd let Anna have her little private joke at Kristoff's expense. The poor guy, it wasn't exactly easy to buy a gift for a Queen.

'Thank you, Kristoff! That's very thoughtful of you,' she smiled at him, then quickly put the lid back on the box before she was tempted to eat them then and there.

'Open mine! Open mine!' Anna demanded, clearly channelling her inner-child.

Elsa picked up one of Anna's presents and examined it. She held it up to her ear. It was ticking. She peeled off the shiny red paper and opened the little wooden box which contained a pocket watch with a chain. It was pure silver and had the crest of Arendelle on its cover. It fitted into her hand perfectly, she clicked the button on the top and the cover flipped down to show the clock face.

'It's so you always know what time it is,' Anna said. 'Or rather, now you can always tell what the time is so you will know when you're supposed to be spending time with me!'

'Thanks, Anna. It's lovely!'

'Now the next one!' Anna said, struggling to contain her excitement.

Elsa obeyed. The wrapping paper and box were identical, only this one contained a small golden locket. She opened it and in it were two miniature portraits, Elsa's on one side and Anna's on the other.

Anna took her hands. 'I had one made for me as well. Now we'll always be together, even if we're apart, if that makes sense.'

Elsa looked into her eyes. 'I don't know what to say. Anna, it's perfect!'

Kristoff felt out of place again, as the sisters gazed at each other for a long minute.

Then they remembered he was there and sat back to watch him open his two presents.

'It's your turn, Kristoff!' Anna said, feeling a little guilty for ignoring him.

He took the larger present, which was from Elsa, and pulled off the paper. It was a new set of furs; a very sensible gift.

Kristoff thanked her and opened the final gift of that evening. Anna had given him a knife in an expensive-looking leather case with the royal crest on it.

'Thanks, Anna, it's great! But now I have to give you this.' He stood up, delved into his pocket and took out a coin.

Anna got up to take it. 'Thanks, but why?' she asked.

'It's tradition,' he replied. 'If someone gives you a knife, you have to give them a coin in return, so it doesn't cut the friendship.'

'Aw, that's cute,' she said, hugging him. 'But if I'd known, I'd have got you something else. It kind of ruins it being a gift.' Anna flopped onto the couch. 'Well, that was fun!' she said. 'It's a shame Olaf missed it.'

'Yeah,' Kristoff said. 'Actually, it's getting late so I'd better get going now. Thanks for the presents!' He put on his coat, gathered his two gifts and made his way out of the castle with Anna and Elsa following him.

The three of them stepped into the cold night air, the golden light from the doorway shining out on the snowy ground.

Anna shivered and regretted not putting on her new scarf. She snuggled up against Elsa, which didn't make much difference.

'Are you sure you don't want to come with me?' Kristoff asked. 'You're very welcome. Both of you.'

'It's kind of you to ask,' Elsa said, putting her arm around Anna's shoulders. 'But we'll let you celebrate with your family. Christmas is the most important time to remember one's family, after all.'

'Well, thanks for a great evening,' he said, disappointed, but glad to have had the privilege of spending most of the day with the royal sisters.

They said goodbye to each other and Kristoff began to trudge down the stone steps and off through the snow.

The sisters closed the large wooden door and walked back down the halls, Elsa's arm still around Anna's shoulders, Anna's arm around Elsa's waist.

'Don't worry about Kristoff, he'll be fine,' Anna said, actually worrying about him herself. She felt a little guilty, she knew he liked her.

'I'm not worried about him,' Elsa replied. 'Call me a cold-hearted Ice Queen, but the only person I truly care about is you, Anna.'

'Elsa, you're not cold-hearted. But you are an Ice Queen, it's a fact. And that just makes you the best sister anyone could ever have!'

They came to a halt outside Elsa's room. Elsa turned to face Anna. 'You have had a good Christmas, haven't you?' she asked, genuine concern showing in her eyes. 'And you like your present?' She touched the necklace, lifting it slightly. 'I still think I could've done better.'

'It's gorgeous. You're gorgeous. Wait, what?'

Elsa giggled, then pulled Anna to her and held her.

Anna clung to Elsa, and then it hit her. She realised why she had been so against Elsa getting married. It wasn't just because she didn't want to see Elsa unhappy with a man unworthy of her. It wasn't just because she loved her sister, Anna was _in love with her_.

Kissing Elsa had been different to kissing Kristoff. Elsa's hands were soft, her skin was smooth. And she always smelled really, really good. And Anna wanted more.

'Elsa, I've had the best Christmas ever, only I don't want it to end.'

'Well, it will come around again next year! The time will fly by now that we're together again!' Elsa extracted herself from Anna's embrace and opened the door to her bedroom.

'Can I stay in your room tonight?' Anna asked, with an expression in her eyes that Elsa didn't recognise.

Elsa froze. She hadn't expected Anna to ask anything like that. But it was so tempting, a chance to let go of all her concealed feelings and show Anna how much she loved her... But no, that was wrong. Anna didn't mean it in _that_ way. She was too innocent to have such thoughts. Even if she had kissed her...

'No, Anna. You should probably sleep in your own bed.'

'But I'll miss you!'

'It's only for the night, Anna. We'll see each other in the morning. Goodnight.' Elsa closed the door and leaned back against it. Ice began to spread over the wooden panels. It had been difficult, but she had managed to suppress her emotions. Now all that was left to do was crawl into her bed. Alone. With only her twisted thoughts for company. But still, it had been the merriest Christmas she had had for a very long time.

Anna stood outside Elsa's door for a little while, then wandered slowly back to her own room. She wanted to tell Elsa the truth. Keeping something like this hidden would be hard. One of the main things she had learned from the summer was that hiding something big, like this, was not an option.

But she had only just understood it herself, so she hadn't managed to express her thoughts very well. She changed into her nightgown and lay down on her bed, but sleep proved elusive. There was too much to think about.

Anna didn't care that sisters loving each other in this way was considered wrong. There were no rules written against it, as far as she knew. And even if there were, rules didn't matter to Anna. The thing she did worry about was: did Elsa feel the same way about her? Well, there was only one way to find out.

* * *

><p>The Northern Lights shone through Elsa's window. Anna smiled to herself and pushed the door closed silently. She guessed Elsa's habit of sleeping with the curtains open had stuck with her from when they had been confined to the castle, only able to see the outside world from a distance. That was why Anna still slept with hers open, anyway.<p>

She stepped lightly across the floor and climbed onto Elsa's bed. Her sister was sleeping on her back in the centre.

Anna crawled up to Elsa and gazed down at her face. She was asleep. And she was beautiful.

'Woah,' Anna breathed. Not that Elsa wasn't beautiful when she was awake, of course. But sleep had taken away the slightly worried expression that always lingered, after thirteen years of torturing herself about her magic. And now she looked serene.

Regretting having to wake her, but determined to say what had to be said, Anna gently shook Elsa's shoulder.

'Elsa, wake up!'

Her forehead creased into a frown and she opened her eyes slightly. She sighed and rolled over, turning her back to Anna.

'Go back to your own room,' Elsa said, not knowing what Anna wanted, and not happy with the way that Fate seemed to be teasing her by always bringing Anna so close, despite the huge obstacle between them that stopped Elsa from getting what she craved.

'But the sky's awake, so I'm awake!' Anna said, remembering what she used to say when they were little.

Elsa didn't respond, so Anna lay down beside her and draped her arm round her.

'What I wanted to say is: I'm glad you're not getting married. I don't know what I'd have done. It...'

'We've already had this conversation, Anna.'

'Yeah, I know. But I haven't told you the reason why. Why I didn't want you to. The real reason, I mean.'

Elsa opened her eyes. That was true, but she assumed it was because Anna knew that _she_ didn't want to get married and Anna didn't want to see her sister unhappy. She sat up with her arms held over her chest.

Anna was sitting cross-legged, wringing her hands as she summoned the courage to confess. She took a deep breath.

'Well, the thing is... I'm in love with you.' There. It was done. She waited for Elsa's reaction. There didn't appear to be one, only Anna thought she saw something shift slightly in her eyes, but it was only for a second and then it was replaced by the cool, emotionless demeanour her sister reserved for official business.

'Anna, you don't know what you're saying,' Elsa said, repeating the words she had told herself countless times. 'What you're feeling isn't that sort of love, it's just... misguided sisterly affection.'

'No, Elsa, it's love! _True Love_! I know about love now! But I have to know, do you love me too? I _know_ there's something between us. When I kissed you, it was...'

The combined effect of Anna's eyes looking deep into her own, and the memory of that kiss made Elsa let go of her inner restraints.

'I do,' she paused for a moment, then sighed. 'But it's not as if that makes any difference; it's not allowed. You should go, Anna. We'll figure something out in the morning.' She lay down, stunned. Elsa had what she wanted, she knew now that Anna wouldn't reject her if she acted on her impulses, yet she was so used to denying them that she did nothing.

Anna was confused. Naturally, she was elated to find out that Elsa loved her, but Elsa didn't seem very happy about it. And Anna didn't want to wait until the morning to talk about it. Love was the most important thing, they both knew how powerful it was and whether it was allowed or not meant nothing compared to that power.

Maybe Elsa didn't believe her. Maybe saying it wasn't enough, she had to act.

Elsa stared into space and waited for her sister to leave. But then Anna was leaning over her and kissing her for the second time that day.

The covers were pulled off her and Anna's tongue was in her mouth.

And Elsa felt heat. Anna's warm hands gently crept up her nightgown and squeezed her breasts, while she began trailing kisses down the side of Elsa's face and neck.

Elsa gasped at the unfamiliarity of the sensations, the feeling of skin against skin and the heat produced by their contact, which actually intensified when Anna had removed both their nightgowns and pressed her naked body against Elsa's.

Then Anna tugged off Elsa's panties and slipped her fingers inside her to pleasure her sister as she would occasionally pleasure herself.

Never having touched herself in that way, Elsa was overwhelmed by how amazing it felt and couldn't hold back her cries.

This was just what Anna had hoped for, to show Elsa how much she loved her, and she was glad that she was clearly making her feel good. The sheen of sweat on her face and the way she was moaning proved that. Seeing her sister like this was so arousing that Anna just had to use her other hand to bring herself to her peak as she brought Elsa to hers.

After it was done, they lay facing each other as they both calmed down.

Elsa slowly ran her hand along Anna's side, tracing her curves, admiring her beauty. She was grateful her powers hadn't interfered. Although it made sense that they hadn't, because Elsa was content. This was the best gift Elsa could ever wish for; Anna loved her and she had a chance to truly be happy at last.

But she had to face reality. She tore her eyes away from Anna, got out of the bed and stood in all her naked glory, her pale skin almost luminous in the moonlight from the window. She tried to fix Anna with her most serious look.

'Anna, what we just did is a crime. It can't happen again.'

'Why not? You can't say you didn't enjoy it. You and me together is just... right!'

Elsa sighed and ran her hands through her hair. Of course it would happen again. There would be no way to resist now she knew what it was like. But she was the Queen. This had the potential to ruin everything they had worked for.

'If people find out, they won't just think _I'm_ a monster, they'll call you one too. And I could not bear that.'

Anna stood up herself and took Elsa's hands. 'Then no one ever will find out!'

'Secrets always have a way of being discovered, Anna.'

'Well not this one! You're the cleverest person in the country, Elsa! We'll find a way to make this work!'

Anna was always an optimist. And she was also trusting, and impractical, and naive. She had to know that not everyone would accept their love as the beautiful thing that it was. But if Anna wanted this to work as much as she did, then she had to be sensible.

'You cannot say anything to anyone. Not Kristoff, not Olaf, not even Sven. And you'll have to control yourself in public. Don't touch me or look at me in any way that will make people suspicious. Because there are people who already consider me suspicious, Anna, and they will use anything they can against me.'

'I'll do anything, whatever you say,' Anna promised, embracing Elsa. 'Only please don't leave me!' Anna rested her head on her sister's shoulder and clung to her tightly. 'Elsa, never leave me.'

'I won't,' Elsa said softly, stroking Anna's hair. 'We'll always be together. Forever.'

The world, with all its rules and problems, could wait. Anna was right, as she always was; Elsa was clever and she would do whatever it took to make sure she never lost Anna again now that she could express her love at last.

Elsa had her heart's desire.

**Thanks for reading, following, faving and reviewing! **

**I know it's a bit early but I wish you a Merry Yuletide, God Jul, Gleðileg Jól, Hyvää Joulua, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël, Счастливого Рождества... you get the idea! **


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